What's on in Provence May 2017
Our pick of the best events & things to do this month
Summer is rapidly approaching and as the days start to get a little warmer and the hours of daylight get longer, it's a good time to get out and explore the best of what Provence has to offer.
There's always a lot going on in this vast region, so to help you find some of the highlights, we've wittled down a list of our favourite events and things to see and do during May 2017.
Art Exhibitions
Head to Saint Remy on Sundays from 7th May for the "Routes des Artistes" contemporary art fair. Around 100 different artists show their work on the boulevards around the town centre.
"Le Sm'art" contemporary art fair comes back to Aix en Provence for 5 days from 11th May. Come and see visual artists, painters, sculptors, photographers, videographers and more in the Parc Jourdan.
A new contemporary art exhibition opens in Avignon this month, showcasing the works of some of the most accomplished African artists, at various locations throughout the city. "Les Eclaireurs" starts on 19th May and runs until next January.
From 27th May the LUMA Foundation in Arles will be exhibiting some of the early works of Annie Leibovitz in "Archive Project #1: The Early Years". The exhibit consists of around 8,000 photographs taken between 1968 & 1983.
Flowers
The "Expo Rose" takes place on two consecutive weekends from 5th May in Grasse, where roses have been used in the manufacture of perfume for hundreds of years. Last year saw more than 25,000 roses gracing the fountains and façades of the ancient city centre and some 8,500 roses on display, with another 13,000 rosebushes for purchase.
Avignon Flower Market takes place every Saturday morning from 08:00 to 13:00 until the end of September.
"Les Botanilles en Luberon" is a large plant and flower market which takes place in Ansouis on 14th May. The flower market is the main attraction but there are also workshops, exhibitions and opportunities to talk to experts and local producers.
Cultural Events
The "Fete des Gardians" takes place in Arles on 1st May with parades of cowboys, their bulls and horses through the streets of the city, finishing off with a huge show in the Arles Arena in the afternoon.
The fourth edition of the "Festival les Nuits Flamencas" starts in Avignon on 18th May and runs until 3rd June. You'll be able to enjoy performances from around 90 different artists performing in 30 different shows.
From 20th - 28th May the Festival du Tambourin comes to Aix en Provence. Watch the musicians parade through the streets playing this unique drum and pipe combination.
At the end of the month, head to Saint Remy to watch the parade for Saint Eloi, the patron saint of farmers. Enjoy the colourful display of processions of lots of horses and carts through the town.
Long Night of Museums
The "Long Night of Museums" is an annual event where museums across Europe remain open late into the night and this year it takes place on 20th May. Museums across Provence are taking part, from Montelimar in the north all the way down to Marseille and the French Riviera. Find out which ones are open on this interactive map and what unique events each of them will be hosting.
Markets
Almost every town and village in Provence has a market at some point during the week. Head to our events calendar and search by location to find the closest ones to you. From pottery markets, arts and crafts or regional produce there's plenty of opportunity to pick up something nice.
More inspiration...
Find more events in Provence from May through to the end of the year, accommodation, travel and search for sights & attractions to visit during your stay. If you're looking for things to do on the Riviera, take a look at our separate event calendars for Nice, Cannes, Antibes, Saint Tropez and Monaco.
